Fuel grate section for heaters



Sept. 11,-1934. N. J. LA TULIP Y Y v1,973,149

' FUEL GRA'IE SECTION FOR HEATERS Filed Dec. 15 1952 Win/ELM all v T l rromvz rs luvs/1 'rpn Patented Sept. 11, 1934 UNITED. STATES PATENT orrlfce gf Application Decemberl5, 1932 Serial Not "641,369 v 3 Claims. (01. 126 163) This invention relates to a fuel grate section for heaters and is adapted to be 'used more particularly for burning the'finer grades of hard or soft coal under forceddraft but may be used for burning wood. 1

The main object is to obtain an even distribution of air from the underside upwardly through and across the entire area'of the grate and the fuel thereon for effecting complete combustion of all of the fuel and at the same time to'allow theresultant ash to pass downwardly through theopenings in the grate and into the underlying ash pit'or box, not shown. t

. One of the specific objects is to provide the grate with a multiplicity of similar relativelysmall rectangular or square openings arranged in longitudinal and transverse rows with alter,- nate openings ofieach row disposed in diagonal relation to the're'maining openings for directing the inflowing air over the entire area of the grate and also for permitting free discharge of the ash from the grate without releasing the fuel.

Another specific'object is to provide the several openings vwith separate baffle units removably seated therein and each provided with an enlargedhead of greater area than and adapted to overlie its corresponding opening in spaced relation to the upper face of the plate in which the openings are formed for the purpose of deflecting the infiowing'air laterally across the top of the grate and at the same time preventing the discharge of the unburned fuel while allowing the discharge of the ash.

Other objects and uses will the following description.

In the drawing: v c- Figure 1 is a top plan of a grate section embodying the various features of'my invention in which some of the battle units areshownin top plan and others in section, the remaining baffle units being omitted. Figure 2 is a-transverse vertical sectional view taken in the plane of line 22, Figure 1. V

Figure 3 is a perspective of one of the detached baflie units. p a s 1 Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional viewof a fragmentary portion of a modified grate section in which the upper. surfaces of the plate around the openings are countersunk.

As illustrated, this grate section comprises 'a plate 1 of cast metal or other suitable material reinforced by a central lengthwise rib 2, and, provided with a multiplicityvof similar rectangular, in this instance square; openings 13 and 3 arranged in lengthwise and transverse rows fQ1':IB-

be brought out in walls of the plate is approximatelyequal (more ceiving' the stems of a'correspon'ding number of baflieunits i. The alternate openings 3 of-each row are preferably parallelwith each other, and with the longitudinal and transverse centers of the; plate while the remaining. alternate openings 3 are arranged diagonally swith'reference to said longitudinal and transverse centers and also to the parallel openings; as shown more clearly in Figurel. .1

These openings are relatively small as compared with the area ofxthe plate but serve as main passages through whichthe: air may pass from the underside upwardly to the fuel for sup? porting combustion of said fuel'and also permitting the precipitation of the -ashes, therethrough to the underlying ash pitor box. .-J The distance betweenthe openings and alsorthe distance; between saidopenings and side and end or less) to the rectilinear distance betweenoppositewalls of anyone of said openings so that each plate may contain a maximum number of openings withoutsacrificingthestrength thereof. The baffle units 4 are preferably made-of cast iron or other suitable material and each of said units preferably comprises a circular head5 and a stem 6, the head 5 being of greater area than the corresponding opening and is adapted to overlie the samein spaced relation to the upper surface of'the plate I, as shown more clearly in Figure 2.

The means forholding the heads 5 in. spaced relation tothe upper surface of the plate 1 preferably comprises aseries-of; in this instance four, radially projecting lugs or bosses 7 arranged in uniformly spacedrelation circumferentially about the axis of the headzand preferably-formed integral therewith toextend downwardly therefrom a distanceapproximately' equal to-the thickness of the head; as shown moreclearly in Figure 2. These lugs or bosses '7 extend inwardly from theperiphery. of the ;head 5 and are adapted to rest upon the upper surface of the plafial around the-corresponding openings 3 or 3 ;to hold the major portion of the head insufiiciently-spaced relationto the upper fSUIfaCBOf the plate to allow the :airz-to pass from theundersidmupwardly-throughtheropenings 3 or 3 and thence through the spaces between'the lugs? into the 510 fuel for supporting combustion thereof. 7

- The stem 6 is preferably formed integralwith' the head' 5and'is of considerablyless cross-sectional area than any one of the openingsB or 3' and is also of' sufiicient vertical lengthto extend 11110 radially projecting lengthwise ribs 8 arranged in uniformly spaced relation circumferentially around the axis of} the head :5 and prefera-llly integrally united at the center and also-to the head, as shown more clearly in Figures, 2 and 3.,

These lengthwise ribs 8 are preferably arranged in the same planes as the corresponding lugslor" bosses 7 so as to form confirmations-thereof, one.

of the ribs being provided with'a downward extension 9 having a transverse opening 110; i012 receiving a releasable looking member such as a cotter pin 11 or equivalent 'lockingmeans; as

shown in Figure 2. I V l These pins form individual locking members ifor the severalszbaffl'e unitsxbut ohui'ously the" cotter pins 11 may be substituted by a single. wire or equivalent tastening amember passing through two or more of thewextensions *10, without .d'eparting from the-spirit of itheiinvention.

'The opposite faces: of the slugs or bosses :7 are preferably'abeveled at I2:so as to flare outvrard ly, the object of-whi ch is'ttodirectithe inflowing air toward :an intermediate radial :line between the lugs or rather to distribute the air :more

evenly-around the axiszof'athe ihead- {5 and; into the fuel between theiheads where i-t may readily :expand through the-fuel "across. the tops of the heads.

the radi'al -widthsof the rtbs Stare-equal and that the distance between the outeraedges :of diamet' '=rieally' oppos'ite ribs iswslightly greater :than :the

I distance-between oppositesides of anywonerofthe =operiings and it; therefore; follows that in order to insert the stem :6: in its-=-correspon-ding opening, the diametrically opposite wings mustbe arranged in -ali nementwith diagonally :opposite corners ofls'aid opening-so that when the stem is inserted' the opening *its angular-movement is limited by the engagement :of the :outer :edges o! the ribs with opposite ssi'des ofithe :opening.

' Operation flit will be -'observed that itheiilugs: extend beyond the-outer edges of ithe'ir corresponding ribs 8 so that when the bafile units are insertedni-n their: respectivexopenings, ithe llower :"f'aces 'of :the lugsi'l will :rest uponthe :upper Ltace of the/plate,

(thereby h-o'ldingthe" heado iin spaced :relation to the upper surface of said plate, itosallow {the air to pass from the underside s of the plate :upwardly through #the --openings 13 :or :85 and through -rthe 'channets be'tween the zribs tliandithenoetoutwardly into the combustion chamber :through :the :passages Ebetween the head and: plate and 'Ibetween Theih-eads 5, therefore, serve the double ipurpose 'o'f '-preventing direct upward movement of {the air from the open'in'gs 3.orfiV hhthe combustion chamber-and also prevent the passage offuel downwardly through said. openings while permit- 7 ting the aSh-topassundenthe' :rnarg'inal edgesof the head '5 and thence:downwardlythroughthe 'op'en'ings 13 or 3" into-the underlying :as'h :pit, not shown. v T :vthese :condition-s; :hard or "soft-coal idust may the :used as :a :fuel in which mase ;it .may be neeessaryzto tuseia 'blower or -.other iforced-draft Edevice for fintroducing athe :air tintol the rash pit "alternate units will'face the spaces between the It wi ll be :note'dzuponmeferencetotFigure. that below the plate 1 so that it may pass upwardly through the openings 3 and around the marginal edges of the heads 5 into the combustion chamber for supporting combustion of the fuel.

On the other hand, if wood is to be used as fuel the baffle sections 4 may be removed by upward displacement by simply removing the cotter pins 11, it being understood that when the baflie units are removed they'can be laid to one side outside of the heater ready forreuse when it is desired to bwcnfine coal.

It will also be noted that when the several baflle tun-its are assembled in operative position in their respective :openings in the plate 1, the ribs of IibSzaOQfi adjacentmnits whereby the inflowing air will be distributed more evenly over the entire surface of the grate and at the same time the ,asht is %to pass downwardly through the several openings.

The construction. shown and .d'escribed is particularliy'simple, practical and efficient, but ohyiously variousgchanges maybemadein the-detail construction withoutidepartingifrom "the spirit of the invention. v

- :Eor :exam-ple, vEig-ureu l, the uppersurface of :the grate; section i as *I" surrounding each opening :3 :i's depressed or countersunk :at 3' :toabout the same vertical :depth as the distancesrbetween the lower edges of the lugs and upper faceof the Q1gb5 hea'd fi so .thattwhen the lugs .7Iareseated upon Lthe-Lbottom tor the countersunk :portion', the upper surface of the head 5t1wi=ll .be. on the samejlevel as the :upper: surface of the remaining portion of the:plate 1". 1 i 'The object inzbringing the upper surfaces iof the battle .membersia in :the'same plane the upper surface of the. remaining portion cof :the plate as stoipermit the-use of a: slicing tool .or (other fuelEloosening membencommonlyaused for'fbreaking' upfitheiclinkers to :be moved freely. aorossiand upon said surfaces without rliability .of :injuring or loosening said :bafiie members.

In view of :the countersinking of the uppersurfaces of'ithe plate I for receiving ztheiheads :5 5&0 andthe' bafiie members'n, :theadjacentportion 'of itheplate is.-also:depressed;for reinforcingxpur- :posesitoformibosses v: 3, {the lower faces of which :are disposed tin approximately thesame .plane as the 'loweriends of the stems 6 of the bafile membersvrl, :thusprotecting atheistems from :QOH- tactwidthiunclerly-ing objects.

These bosses are provided with diametficalsldts il l :open atxthe bottom :for -.reeeiving the :cotter also ' members-iunder'which :con'dltions it is, oficourse,

understood that the shaking grate will he provided--with openings through the ash and air could freely pass. I

What I claim-is: I

-l.-A fuel grate section comprising-a plate' having a multiplicity 'of'square openings "therethrough, and bafiie zunits, one for each opening/having enlarged circular heads of :greater area than and overlying their respective openings, each head thaving spaced :lugs oniitsvunder- -=side v:resting upon ithe' upper surfaceiofi'the .pla'te for holding it inspaced relation theretosandproi- W video, withlengthwise lribs projecting into, the

to the corners of said opening to hold the unit against turning about its axis.

3. In a fuel grate, a plate having a plurality of rows of square openings, alternate openings of each row being turned 4-5 degrees with reference to the remaining openings of that row, and baffle units inserted in said openings, each unit having diametrically opposite ribs arranged in diagonally opposite corners of its opening to prevent undue angular movement of said unit.

' NAPOLEON J. LA TULIP. 

